One Life Too Many-OZ/OLTL Crossover
by Ke'Anna
Summary: Todd Manning Comes to OZ after taking 14 people hostage
1. Thomas Todd Manning Comes to Em City

One Life Too Many  
  
Set before Miguel got sent to the hole and Beecher had his little accident.  
  
Augustus: What makes a person crazy? I mean in a world as fucked up as this one, how can you even tell who's sane and who isn't? Is it enough to hear voices in your head? Or to believe that the government put radio signals in your teeth so they could communicate with you where ever you went? Or do you have to go postal on somebody, first? Mailmen had the right idea. Take out the world, before it tries to take out you.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The gates of Emerald City open and an intense, but sullen young man with long brown hair, and handsome features walks through. His beard and mustache are short and neatly trimmed, carefully framing his mouth. He's lanky, but well-muscled, long-sleeved t-shirt and almost colorless pants cling to, and excentuate, every masculine curve. His hazel eyes are fixed forward, seeing nothing and everything all at once. On first glance they look listless, dead, but a closer look reveals flecks of vitality, an animal cunning...and a pain so deep, it isn't easily concealed. Followed by Hill who carries his things for him on his lap, he walks slowly through Em City, seeming to be not quite aware of where he was. All the inmates stare at him, checking out the new guy, wondering if he's prag material.  
  
"Look at that," Alvarez points out with a contemptuous grin, as he deals another hand of cards, "Another pretty motherfucker."  
  
"Not so pretty," one of the latinos says, "Lookit that scar. That should remind you of something, huh, Alvarez?"  
  
Miguel looks more closely at the man. He has a long, thin scar running down his right cheek, much like Alvarez', only his was more prominent, more insistent that it be noticed.  
  
"Holy shit, look at that." Alvarez, breathed.  
  
"It's a sign, Miguel," his friend says, "You guys are soul mates."  
  
"Shut the fuck up," he says, but he isn't angry. He intends to get to know this guy and find out who or what put the scar on his face.  
  
"You're over here, man," Hill says, "With me."  
  
"Okay."  
  
The man follows him into his pod, where Augustus hands him his things and points to the top bunk. "That one's yours, for obvious reasons."  
  
The man only nodded.  
  
"Not much of a talker are you?"  
  
He shrugged. "Just not in the mood right now, I guess. Under the circumstances..."  
  
"Yeah, I hear you. So...what are you in for?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Augustus: "Prisoner # 95G078, Thomas Todd Manning,  
  
"Todd, stood in a room full of frightened-looking people with several sticks of dynamite stuck to his chest. His clothes were disheveled and he was sweating profusely, making his long brown hair hang at his shoulders in lank strings. His right arm had a bandage wrapped around it, on the meaty part below the shoulder, and blood was starting to seep through. In one of his hands he held the detonator for the bomb. In the other, was the knife used to slice his arm, by one of the captives, his cousin, Kevin Buchanan.  
  
"convicted, October 23, 1998, 14 counts of kidnapping,  
  
The people in the room were staring nervously at him, wondering when he was going to crack, and if they would survive this hellacious night. They all watched him with fear, but most of them mingled it with contempt. It's always Todd. He's crazy. They always knew he was capable of anything, including murder. Sure, he committed rape, of course he would blow them all to pieces too. Why not?  
  
Only two people, his sister Viki, and his wife, Tea, mixed their fear with concern. For him.  
  
"terrorism and attempted murder,  
  
Todd paced the floor like a caged animal. It was hot and he couldn't take much more of this whole situation. He would make them speak. Someone committed the crime they were trying to pin on him and he chose that way to find out who it was. Let them fear for their lives. Let them think he was going to send them all to hell. Then the person would confess. The one who killed Georgie Phillips and tried to frame him for it would speak up. But they wouldn't. All they were doing was lying to him. He stood in front of the fireplace, feeling like he would explode.  
  
"I'm losing my patience!" he screamed.  
  
"sentence 350 years, up for parole in 190.  
  
He told Tea a secret, that the dynamite was fake. He trusted her. She would keep his secret. Kevin Buchanan, as if he hadn't done enough damage, emerged from the cellar where Todd locked him up for safe keeping. He had a gun. Where did that come from? He hated Todd. He was more than willing to shoot him in cold blood. To protect his family, he would say. For revenge, Todd knew was the truth.  
  
"No!" Tea screamed. "The dynamite is fake!"  
  
Todd stared at her, then let out a laugh ripe with resignation. "Chicks," he sighed.  
  
The jig was up. It was all over. He was going to prison. Hey, maybe he would get time off for good behavior.  
  
Augustus (laughing): "Yeah right."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Todd starts to put his things away and straightens out his bunk. Hill watches him silently, trying to figure out what was going on in his podmate's head. There's something about him, the look in his eyes, the way he cocks his head maybe, that was a little bit off. That doesn't stop him from liking the brooding young man, though. He does, almost immediately.  
  
"So, 350 years, huh? How the fuck did you get a sentence like that? That's the longest damn stretch I ever heard of."  
  
Todd shrugged. "The D.A. doesn't like me. I'm the one who pointed out that his precious little girl, Rachel, is the one who murdered Georgie Phillips. You know, when they read the verdict, he laughed. He said the jury wouldn't believe my "act". Hmph, I never thought that son-of-a-bitch would be right about anything."  
  
"Can you appeal?"  
  
He nodded. "My lawyers are working on it. They say I have a good chance."  
  
"It's still unbelievable. The charges seem pretty trumped up to me. I mean, was it your first offense?"  
  
Todd laughed sardonically. "First offense? Hill, I could kill you by dropping my rap sheet on your head."  
  
"Yeah? What else did you do?"  
  
Todd's eyes grew stormy. He shook his head. "I don't want to talk about that right now, all right?"  
  
"Okay," Hill changes the subject, "So, how come you're an other?"  
  
"An other? What do you mean?"  
  
"Everybody here is in a group like the gangsters or the Italians or the Aryans. Others are the ones who don't fit into any of those groups." He shrugged, "McManus's stupid idea."  
  
"Oh. Well, you just answered your own question. I don't fit in with the other groups. I don't fit in anywhere." His eyes grew dark and solemn, then brightened. "I don't play well with the other children," he said in a prissy, schoolmarm voice, making Augustus laugh suddenly. "Of course, I always did think I was in a class by myself."  
  
Hill grinned, "Yeah, you're right about that."  
  
Todd smiled, a gesture that lit up his whole face as if it were illuminated from within. Even Hill was awed.  
  
"Hey Manning, I was beginning to think you broke your smiling muscles."  
  
"Nah. They were just sleeping. They probably will be most of the time." He looked around. "Well, I will give McManus points for originality. This place is really...different."  
  
"You can say that again. Hey, it's almost time for dinner. You hungry?"  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"Let's go eat then. I'm sure in honor of our new arrival, the slop won't be quite as repulsive today."  
  
The ghost of Todd's former smile returned briefly, and he shrugged. "Whatever." 


	2. Todd and Hill get an unexpected new room...

Part2  
  
Augustus: "They say everyone has some kind of skeleton in their closet; some kind of deep dark secret that would blow their world to shit if anyone ever found out. I say it's those kinds of secrets that shouldn't be held inside. The only way to make them less dangerous is to reveal them, to *purge* them, as soon as possible and make them not secrets anymore. Because keeping them bottled up in you, is as good a way to drive you crazy as anything else. Maybe it's the best way."  
  
Hill and Manning entered the cafeteria with Hill leading the way. Todd's eyes strode restlessly over the scene. It was something he both was and wasn't used to. It's not like he'd never been in prison before, but that had been his old life. He'd been a different person then. But somehow, he managed to end up in the same place. He noticed that life was full of little ironies like that. It made you want to laugh out loud. Or cry. He didn't know which.  
  
In line, Todd collected his food wordlessly and followed Hill to semi-full table. Hill parked his wheelchair at the head of it, while Todd parked himself in the seat next to him. He started in on his food, not in any particular hurry to dig into the unappetizing fare, but using it as an excuse to not have to speak first. Hill took the hint and started to introduce him around to his group.  
  
"Tobias Beecher, Agamemnon Busmalis and Bob Rebadow, my podmate and new best friend, Todd Manning."  
  
"Hi," Todd greeted gruffly, eyes still glued to his tray.  
  
"Hi," Said Beecher, politely, "Um, so what did you do on the outside?"  
  
"Does it matter?"  
  
"Well, I was just curious, that's all."  
  
Todd shrugged. "I owned a newspaper, called "The Sun". My pig of an old man left it to me, along with a hefty fortune. My ex-wife", he practically spat the word, "got hold of it when I was sent here. I wanted to give it to my kid. Maybe she'll honor that as my dying wish. I know I'm going to die here, no matter what Tea says. 350 years."  
  
"You got 350 years?" Busmalis gasped.  
  
"I've never heard of anything like that," Rebadow said. "That's incredible that you got that kind of sentence."  
  
Todd smirked. "I guess I'm just special."  
  
"Hey, you know, I have a daughter too." Beecher interjected, "How old is yours?"  
  
"Six. Her name's Starr."  
  
"Mine's five. Starr's a unique name. Very pretty though."  
  
Todd's expression softened and he gave them a rather sorrowful grin. "Yeah, she's a really great kid. I miss her already."  
  
"Yeah, I know how you feel," Beecher commiserated.  
  
They chatted through the rest of their dinner, Todd learning a little bit more about the group for which he now belonged, and into which he had been instantly accepted. They liked him already, he could feel it, but he was sure it wouldn't last long. He had a knack for rubbing people the wrong way. *All part of my charm,* he thought wryly.  
  
He finished his dinner long before the others, having gobbled it down in a few mouthfuls. Maybe he'd call Tea. He promised his wife he would talk to her as soon as he could. He got up to leave, saying his see-you-laters to his new friends, and left his empty tray sitting on the table.  
  
"Hey Manning," Mineo called irritably out to him, "I don't know what your mommy taught you at home, but in OZ we take our trays back to the kitchen when we're done, got that?"  
  
Todd turned back and picked up his tray. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." As he walked back to dispose of his tray, he thought of how appalled Tea was when she first discovered his lack of table manners. She even bought him a book on etiquette, which he'd honestly tried to read. But he was just too Todd for it to have any effect. He didn't tell her that his bad manners were a way of rebelling against the life his father had taught him to live. The life he rejected when his father had hurt him for the last time.  
  
He dropped his tray off, not looking at any of the cafeteria workers, and felt a hand on his arm. He almost leaped right out of his skin. He whirled on the owner of the hand, a middle-aged, bald man of heavier build. "Hey, don't touch me, alright?"  
  
"Jesus, you're jumpy aren't you?  
  
Todd eyed the man, suspiciously. "Who are you? What do you want?"  
  
"I'm Vern Schillinger. I saw you when you came in. I thought I might offer my hand in friendship." He moved closer to Todd, who instinctively backed up. "Hey, I don't want to hurt you or anything. I just thought we could use someone like you in our ranks. You look like good Aryan stock."  
  
"Good Aryan stock?" Todd rolled his eyes dismissively and started to walk away. "Whatever."  
  
"Hey," Schillinger grabbed his arm again, apparently not getting the hint the first time. Todd pulled away from him, violently.  
  
"What the hell did I just tell you!" Todd snapped.  
  
Schillinger could see the C.O.'s watching them, waiting to move in and escort them both to the hole if need be, with a couple of cracks to the head with their batons for good measure. He took a step backward, holding both hands up in supplication.  
  
"You don't want to turn your back on me so soon, Manning. In OZ, you need all the friends you can get."  
  
"I don't need anybody. I can take care of myself."  
  
"Fine. But don't come crying to me when you get that pretty little ass of yours cornholed."  
  
Todd flinched. "Nobody's going to do that to me, you got that? Now, leave me alone!" he said, his voice trembling slightly, and made a quick exit.  
  
Shillinger stared after him. The look on the kid's face, he saw fear and that was good. But did he also see, deja vu, some kind of nostalgia? Yes, he thought he did, and that was better. He could use that, he *would* use that, to his advantage.  
  
Hill, watching the scene, had noticed the look too, but he didn't know what to make of it. His new podmate, he was beginning to see, was mystery itself.  
  
In their pod that night, Todd paced restlessly. Being caged, again, was both something he was familiar with, and something he could never get used to. Four hours since he'd arrived and he was already losing it. Talking to Tea on the telephone had made it a little better. He tried to hear her voice in his head and replayed the words of love that she said to him over and over. It gave him comfort. It was hard being away from her, but at least he knew that she still loved him and was fighting hard to get his conviction overturned. Being married to a lawyer, the lawyer who defended him, definitely had its perks.  
  
He closed his eyes and pictured her lovely face, her cinnamon-colored hair so much like his own, her warm smile. He pictured her beautiful body, supple skin over a tight, athletic figure. How he wanted her. Just to be able to touch her for a second would be heaven. He found that he was becoming very turned on just thinking about her.  
  
His podmate called to him, pulling him out of his reverie. "You okay, Manning?"  
  
Todd stared at him blankly for a second, before his eyes filled with life. A sensual smirk played over his lips. He waltzed slowly over to Augustus and bent down in front of him. He placed a strong hand on the man's neck and started to massage it. Augustus was too surprised to protest.  
  
"Si. I am fine. Just, how you say, gathering the wool."*  
  
Hill gaped at him. What the fuck, he thought, since when did he get an Italian accent? "Oh," he said, letting out a laugh. "I get it. You're just messing with me right? Just a joke. Ha ha ha! Funny."  
  
The man before him shook his head, still smiling roguishly, "Is no joke," He cupped a hand under Hill's chin, lifting it up gently, "You have the most beautiful eyes, Augustus." It came out sounding like Ow-goost-us.  
  
"Uh, thanks man," he replied cautiously, noting that things were starting to take a decidedly weird turn.  
  
"You know, we' are a-going to be spending the lots of time together. Here. We should get to know each other.better."  
  
Hill blinked. Did his podmate mean what he thought he meant? "Hey man, I don't do that. I'm straight, remember? Besides, I'm married. So are you."  
  
"Si. I know this, but my wife, she's-a no here. No is yours."  
  
"I know but."  
  
"My beautiful Tea, I miss here. But man, he has the needs." He leaned closer to the other man who looked petrified.  
  
"Todd."  
  
"No! I am Rod."  
  
"What?"  
  
"My name is Rod. Todd no is the lover that I am. I am a good lover, Augustus. Do I even say, excellent." He leaned toward him, clearly intending to put a passionate kiss on the man's mouth, which was hanging open in shock." Augustus backpedaled into his bunk so hard he almost tipped himself over.  
  
"Hey man, don't!" he cried, "I told you, I don't swing that way. I'm strictly ladies only."  
  
"Rod" sighed. "Si. Is too bad. You are missing a lot."  
  
Augustus just shook his head, his confusion turning to anger. "Well, I'm telling you one thing. If you ever do that to me again, I am going to throw you out of this pod bodily. My legs may not work, but my arms are still pretty strong."  
  
His podmate paused for a moment before he spoke.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I said, don't do that again, do you hear me, Manning?"  
  
"Don't do *what* again?" Todd asked, looking genuinely confused. "What the hell did I do now?"  
  
"What do you mean what did you do? You know."  
  
Todd put a hand to his temple, trying to rub the beginnings of a headache away. "No. I don't. Why don't you tell me?"  
  
"You.you hit on me!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Yeah. You tried to kiss me, for god's sake!"  
  
Todd just stared at him incredulously. "I don't know what you're on, Hill, but you better lay off of it. It's doing something to your brain." He started to get undressed for bed.  
  
"Are you trying to say I imagined it?"  
  
"You must have. I have a beautiful wife on the outside, and I would never, *ever*, cheat on her. And especially not with another guy! He shuddered at the thought.  
  
"What kind of shit are you trying to pull, Manning? You know what you did, and I'm just asking you not to do it again."  
  
"Look, I don't know what you're talking about okay? And I'm really tired, so let's just drop it."  
  
Hill just gaped at him. He knew his mouth was still hanging open, but he couldn't seem to summon up the will to close it. Some freaky shit was going on, and he'd be damned if he could figure out what it was. He gave up and started to pull himself into bed. *First Beecher and now him,* he thought, *Why do I always get stuck with the crazies?* 


	3. Todd and Miguel forge some common ground

Part 3  
  
Augustus: How much will you put up with for the sake of friendship? Do you just accept any little idiosyncrasies that your buddies have, no matter how annoying or bizarre, or just totally tasteless? What if it's too much too handle? What if it's not worth the bother? What friendship is?  
  
Augustus was having a rather pleasant dream. In it, he was sitting at the dinner table with his wife having his favorite meal: Tacos Supreme. He'd filled his plate with a third helping when he felt his wife's small foot tracing up and down his leg. He ignored the sensation, with some effort, not yet willing to tear himself away from his meal, until it started making it's slow, lingering journey to his crotch. *That* couldn't be ignored. He smiled, and put his taco down. Suddenly, he wasn't hungry at all anymore.  
  
"Baby, what *are* you doing?"  
  
"What do you think I'm doing?" she replied, her voice, husky and seductive.  
  
*Making me horny as hell,* he wanted to say, but the thought was swallowed up by another one. His legs! He could feel them. And if he could *feel* them, then maybe... He stood up slowly and took a He took a few cautious steps around the table. His legs were steady and strong. 'Oh fuck!" he exclaimed, "I can walk! I can walk again! Baby, look at me!"  
  
His wife nodded, a gentle smiling playing about her lips, and he was struck for the zillionth time at how amazingly beautiful she was. And she was all his. He could feel his chest swell up with a burst of pride and happiness. He was free, he was with the woman he loved, he could walk. At that moment, he felt like his life was just about perfect.  
  
"You," he said pointing to her. "Come on over here, gorgeous.  
  
She strolled slowly over to him, smiling. "Yes dear." She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a long, slow kiss on his lips. When they broke apart, he suddenly swept her up into his arms, making her squeal with delight.  
  
"What are you doing, Gus?"  
  
"I'm making like one of those soap guys you like to watch. You know, the ones you say or so romantic. I'm going to carry you to our bed. Then I'm going to make love to you all night long."  
  
"You're the boss," she said, grinning.  
  
"Better believe it."  
  
He started to do just what he'd promised when she suddenly started to scream.  
  
"No! Leave me alone! Don't touch me! Stop, please!" But the odd thing was, it wasn't his wife's sweet, sexy voice, but the voice of his new pod mate, Todd Manning. Realizing that he was dreaming and afraid that his wife's face would also be replaced by Todd's, he effortfully woke himself up. He crawled himself out of bed and into his chair. On the top bunk, he beheld his pod mate.  
  
Todd was covered in sweat, tossing and turning violently in his bunk, fighting off an attacker that only he could see.  
  
"No!" he cried, "Stay away from me! Don't hurt me! Please, don't!"  
  
"Shit!" Augustus thought, "On top of everything else, the crazy bastard's going to keep me up every night with his nightmares."  
  
Still he had to do something. The guy was weird, yes, but he'd come to think of him as a friend. He reached up and shook him gently on the leg to wake him up. Todd lashed out and Augustus wheeled out of his way.  
  
"No!" Todd screamed, waking up suddenly. He looked around disoriented. "Wh- what...what...where-where am I? What am I doing here? Who am I? What's going on?"  
  
"Whoa! Hold on there Manning. You're okay. You just had a nightmare. Bad one from the looks of things."  
  
"Oh. Yeah, that's why I never sleep. Heh! Sorry I woke you up."  
  
"S'okay. What was the dream about?"  
  
"I, uh, don't remember," he said, but he wouldn't meet his eyes.  
  
"You okay, man?"  
  
Todd shrugged. "Guess so. Go back to sleep."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
He nodded. "Yeah go on. You're not my mommy. You don't have to sit up with me."  
  
Hill shrugged. "Whatever you say." He started to pull himself back into bed.  
  
"Hey Hill."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks for waking me. It *was* bad."  
  
"Yeah, I know. It's okay."  
  
He got back to bed, and within minutes, he could feel sleep closing in on him again. Maybe he could pick up his dream where it left off. He wished Manning had waited until it had progressed a little farther before he started freaking out. Well, at least he would be able to get back to sleep, which is more than he could say for Todd, who had gotten out of bed and was pacing back and forth like a caged tiger. His hazel eyes were dull and tired. Augustus wished he'd had a sleeping pill or something to give him. *Oh well,* Hill thought, *He can plead his case to the Doc tomorrow. Maybe she'll give him some.*  
  
He was on the verge of sleep when a thought hit him. Something the other man had said. *Who am I?* Had Manning actually said that? What the fuck did that mean? As he pondered it, sleep didn't come as easily as he thought it would.  
  
The next day, he watched his new friend carefully to see if he would do anything else strange but he hadn't. He was the same caustic but charismatic man that Augustus had met the day before. Now, an hour before count, Todd was amusing his new friends with stories of his life as a newspaper man in Lanview.  
  
"I had some great headlines," he was saying, "Like that last one. 'Buchanan Steals Stiff'. Man, Bo Buchanan stole his own dead son from a crime scene and holed up with him all night in his cabin. And they say *I'm* nuts."  
  
Miguel, sitting nearby and listening, saw his chance. "Well, that's all fascinatin' and all, Manning, but what I wanna know is, how did you get that butt-ugly scar on your face?"  
  
Todd, enjoying the sensation of people hanging on his every word, suddenly quieted, his expression darkening. 'Okay, story time's over. Go find something else to amuse yourselves with."  
  
Some of the other guys moaned in disappointment. "Aw man, don't go yet," one of the latinos said. I want to hear about your ex, the one that's running the paper for you. Does she have big tetas?"  
  
Todd rolled his eyes. "Another time." He got up, heading for the gym. It was empty, which made him very happy. A rare moment of peace and quiet, in which he could sort out his thoughts. But it wasn't to be. Miguel had followed him.  
  
"Hey you, Manning! Didn't answer my question."  
  
"No I *didn't.* Hmm, that should tell you something."  
  
"Come on, I wanna know."  
  
"Why Alwarez?"  
  
Alvarez pointed to the fading scar on his own right cheek.  
  
Todd smirked, "Ah, I see. I show you mine, you show me yours? Well let me ask you, how did you get *your* scar?"  
  
Miguel shook his head slowly, and wagged his finger in front of Todd's face in an 'eh eh eh' gestures.  
  
"Oh no you don't. I asked you first."  
  
Yeah, well, I don't think so." Todd said, starting to leave. So much for peace and quiet.  
  
Miguel, grabbed at him angrily. 'Hey asshole, I asked you a question. Now you answer it, before I kick your fucking ass!"  
  
"Hey calm down, Tito," Todd said, jerking away, "I think someone could use an anger management class. You want the number?"  
  
"Fuck you, man."  
  
"Why do you wanna know so bad anyway, huh? Just because you have one?" Miguel just looked at him, "Fine, you wanna know so much, I'll tell you. I like to reward persistence. A woman hit me in the face with a lead pipe because I was being a really bad boy. I could have had it removed but I didn't want to. It's a symbol of the man I...never want to be again."  
  
Miguel smiled a little, "Hey man, that's all you had to say." He was relieved. He had feared that there was going to be big confrontation. He hadn't liked the way he exploded at Manning, just because he wouldn't answer his damn question. It scared him. It was the sign of a man losing control. And why had he wanted to know so bad anyway? He didn't know, but seeing that scar, so much like his own, responded to something inside him. As far as background went, as far as superficial things, they were nothing alike. But under the surface, he could feel a kinship. He felt like maybe there was something very basic about their natures that they had in common. He wanted to know what that was.  
  
"Your turn amigo," Todd said, "Share."  
  
The younger man grunted. "Long story."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere."  
  
Miguel smiled, and they both sat down. 


	4. Miguel spills all to Todd

On Life Too Many - Part 4 by Ke'Anna   
  
Augustus: Everybody needs companionship, even in a place like Oz. No, I'm not   
talking about fucking, at least not totally. I mean, something that you can   
share things with, someone you can talk to, something that understands you. And   
I can tell you this, the guys in Em City can make some strange bedfellows, in   
more ways than one.   
  
Miguel watched his new friend closely, as he told his tale of woe, aka "How   
Miguel Alvarez ending up a guest in the palatial "Emerald City". It ended with,   
"It was a setup man. I'm in-no-cent! They don't put you in a place like this   
just for what I done."   
  
"You beat an old man," Todd commented quietly, "you busted his windows, then you   
slashed his face," his hands stole absent to the scar on his one cheek, and as   
if hypnotized, Miguel did the same. "I guess you have to get something for   
that."   
  
Miguel shrugged, "I guess, but I still think it's too much. If I hadn't been in   
here, maybe me and Maritza could have done something. Maybe our baby would've   
died."   
  
Todd's eyes perked up. "Your baby died? How?"   
  
"He was sick. Right after he was born, he was sick The docs say it was because   
Maritza and me took drugs before he was born. I don't know, man. I miss him. I   
guess I went a little crazy after he died. I thought God was punishing me. So I   
took away the thing I loved most in the world. Before he was born, that is. My   
looks. I slashed my face. I thought maybe if I did that, and you know, showed   
repentance and all that shit, for being so vain, He'd let my baby live. But...."   
  
"...he died anyway," Todd offered, "Well, I don't know what to say to that. Me   
and God have never been best buds." Todd's eyes grew stormy. "I uh...I uh don't   
talk about this much but...I had a son too. He died before he was born. My-my   
wife at the time, Blair, was mugged in Angel Square. The guy pushed her down and   
she lost the baby."   
  
"Angel Square?"   
  
"Yeah," Todd looked at Miguel pointedly, "That's the Hispanic neighborhood."   
  
Miguel shrugged, "Well, *I* didn't know him," he protested, smiling slightly.   
  
Todd smiled back. "I know. You're all right, Tito. I don't say that to everybody   
so feel blessed."   
  
Miguel rolled his eyes and laughed, "Yeah right, man, whatever. You know, I knew   
their was something about you, something we had in common, besides these," he   
pointed to his scar. "I'm not saying that makes us bosom buddies or some shit   
like that, but...at least we understand each other."   
  
"Understand each other," Todd scoffed, "Miguel, you can try for you whole life   
and you'll never understand me, I guarantee you that."   
  
Before Miguel could answer, they both heard a ruckus coming from inside the   
common area. "Yeah," Miguel sighed, "I was wondering how long it would take   
before those assholes started up again. We better get in there."   
The two men made a shuffle-run toward the noise, not wanting to miss a thing. 


End file.
